This guide shares the different paint roller sizes guide for standard paint rollers, nap sizes, how to choose, and the best paint roller & nap size for walls and ceilings.
Although paint rollers seem straightforward at first, and one may seem to work for any purpose, there are many things to consider, from size to roller cover fabric and pile height. Getting the right paint roller will make painting more manageable and give the best result.
Standard Paint Roller Size
However, if a wall is more extensive or if the ceiling is higher, there are bigger paint rollers that can be used for the project. Aside from that, smaller paint rollers are also available for specific purposes.
Standard-sized paint rollers are typically measured to have a length from side to side of 9 inches or around 23 centimeters. This will be enough to paint an average wall and will often be the standard roller for most home painting projects.
There are also larger paint rollers that range in size from side to side at around 12 to 18 inches or 30 to 46 centimeters. This paint roller size is best for commercial painting for bigger spaces.
For working on smaller projects like painting doors, narrower walls, or trims, smaller paint rollers are the best, and many are available in the 2 inches or 5-centimeter variety to the 6 inches or 15-centimeter ones.
Paint Roller Nap Sizes
The basic rule of thumb when considering the nap is the rougher the surface to be painted, the thicker the roller nap should be. A paint roller with a smaller nap will do the job more than adequately if the surface to be painted is smooth.
There are many paint roller nap sizes to consider. The first is the 3/8-inch roller nap which is the best for smooth plaster walls or ceilings. A 1/2-inch roller nap is excellent to use for painting interior ceilings and walls.
Choosing a painting roller with a 3/4-inch nap is best for painting rougher spaces like popcorn ceilings and house exteriors. To paint surfaces that are extremely textured, the best paint roller nap to use are the ones sized at 1 1/4 inches or around 3 centimeters.
What Is The Best Nap Size For Painting Walls?
The rougher the surface to be painted, the thicker the nap size will be needed, and the more color it could carry to ensure that the surface is painted fully and neatly.
Depending on how smooth a wall or ceiling is, there is no one best nap size. For smoother walls picking a nap size of 3 to 5 millimeters is the best choice. They hold a smaller amount of paint that could achieve that ultra-smooth finish. This nap is best for painting anything from kitchen cabinets to doors.
The most common nap size is 10 to 15 millimeters. This is great for an even paint application to walls. For painting textured surfaces like popcorn walls or even bricks, a nap size of 18 to 26 millimeters is the best as it holds more paint to get deeper surfaces.
What Size Roller For Painting Walls?
The smaller 4 inches or 10 centimeters paint rollers are for nooks and crannies and are also best for painting fixtures like cabinets and doors.
If the homeowner wants a bigger roller paint to cut the painting time in half, they can do so by opting to purchase a paint roller with a length of 18 inches or 46 centimeters from side to side. This paint roller size covers larger areas faster which can be beneficial for people wanting the paint job to be finished faster.
The 9 and 18 inches roller paints are the choice of many professional home painters because of their versatility and bigger size.
What Size Roller For Ceiling Paint?
Nap size for this size of paint roller should also be considered, and many professional painters prefer a paint roller with a nap size of 20 millimeters to paint ceilings.
Because of its thicker nap size it will hold more paint, ensuring an excellent finish when the paint is dried. Higher quality 18 inches paint rollers with a nap size of 20 millimeters can also prevent unwanted paint splatters all over the floor and the painter. It is also because of these reasons that they are preferred by many homeowners wanting to DIY the painting of their walls and ceilings.
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